CH 62

Chapter 62 - Leader

After watching Ollery go into a trance…

Lou noiselessly left her side.

Josephine, who had spotted him, approached Lou and wanted to shout.

“Silence!”

Lou muttered the single command, and Joséphine blobbed like a goldfish lacking oxygen again.

Her cronies, Celia, Monique, and Melanie, also tried to shout accusations, but Lou’s fingers snapped, and the words disappeared from their mouths as well.

“The other students are concentrating. If you promise to be quiet, I’ll break the Silence Spell. What do you think, Josephine?”

Lou asked softly. Josephine first nodded hurriedly, followed by Celia and the others.

Lou’s fingers immediately snapped and the spell was lifted.

“H-How awful! Not once, but twice!”

Josephine protested in a much lower tone, as expected.

“Josephine, did you come to tell me it’s your turn to be taught?”

Lou asked, and sure enough, he was right.

With her cheeks puffed out and her mouth agape like a squirrel before its nest, Josephine showed a petulant yet peevish expression.

“Of course! Why should the guidance of those common people come first, while we, the children of prosperous counts and noble families, be put off?”

“That’s not it, Josephine. Let me see how generous you are, shall we?”

Lou admonished Josephine and smiled calmly.

“What? Ge-Generous?!”

She was speechless.

Lou was speaking matter-of-factly, but Josephine seemed off course.

“Yes, your generosity as a human being, Josephine. As a nobility, you’ll eventually sit in a position to lead. What’s the big deal about my teaching order?”

“Hold her breath! Ughh!”

“You’re a tolerant, magnanimous girl, aren’t you?”

“Urrgh, I get it. You’re right, Lou-sensei. I just have a little tendency to ・・・nitpick.”

“Great, as expected of Josephine. You’re doing great.”

Lou extended his hand.

“H-Huh!”

What was he doing?

Lou reached out and stroked Josephine’s head as anyone would do with a child.

Celia, Monique, and Melanie gasped.

This kind of treatment…

It was considered very disrespectful to the nobility of this kingdom.

“Good girl, Josephine.”

However!

Surprisingly, Josephine, who received the head caress, turned bright red and swivelled around.

“…I, I don’t like it.”

“Don’t like what?”

“It’s what you call me. I don’t like it if you don’t call me Josie nicely.”

The air around froze at Josephine’s words.

W-Whoa! Josephine-sama is…

She had always been like this.

She normally had a haughty demeanor…

But when she liked someone, she would become extremely besotted.

Celia and her friends had known her for a long time, since they were children.

“All right, Josie, Celia, Monique, and Melanie, you guys are next.”

Lou smiled and patted Celia and the others’ heads as well.

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

2nd year Class C classroom…

Lou and Fran’s guidance was well received.

All the students were now in Relaxation training.

The magic power in the school was originally abundant everywhere, but in this classroom, it was obvious that the magic power was especially high.

Fran returned to the podium and sighed, “Phew.”

Suddenly she noticed Lou’s gaze.

He had already returned to the assistant teacher’s podium and was waiting for Fran.

“You look tired, Fran. Would you like to try it? Wind Relaxation?”

“Yeah…If Lou says so.”

Fran’s magical attribute was fire, but this time she should use her quasi wind attribute.

There was a big reason for it.

“… Fran, remember when I first met you, and we flew through the sky together?”

Lou lowered his voice to a whisper.

When Fran nodded silently, Lou added.

“When I carried you, you smelled so fragrant… I felt good about flying, too…I’ve never done anything like that before.”

Fran’s eyes widened in surprise, and she stared at Lou without blinking.

I’m glad to hear that!

Why does it resonate so deeply in my soul?

Every single one of your words…

“Please…”

Delighted, Fran nodded vigorously and muttered in a scratchy voice.

――5 minutes later

Lou and Fran sat deep in their chairs, facing each other.

“―――Let’s go.”

Lou’s voice sounded abruptly.

His big hand drew close to Fran’s head.

It’s warm!

I can feel the powerful magic wave aura from Lou’s hand.

At that moment, Fran already fell into a trance.

It was partly because Lou’s words had brought back her memories, and she was already given a suggestion.

When she regained her senses and looked around…

She found herself standing alone in an empty meadow.

This is probably the Mental World.

『Giggle…』

A few moments later, Fran heard a woman’s sneer in her ear.

Fran had a vague idea of who it was.

Because back then, Lou used his Flight Magic power…

『Sylph-san, the Wind Spirit!』

Flash!

A beautiful girl floated in front of Fran’s eyes.

Her slender frame was clothed in a transparent, shiny cloth robe.

She had short blond hair, a face with well-defined eyes and a nose, and blue eyes that were glaring lightly at Fran.

『Wow, are you going to lead me?』

Fran asked timidly.

Sylph tilted her head and hesitated for a moment.

However, her expression quickly turned gentle, and she nodded generously.

『T-Thank you!』

Sylph gently held out her hand.

Fran, too, grasped it warily.

At that moment, a gentle breeze enveloped Fran…

Her body softly floated up from the grassy field where she was standing.

Fran quickly rose high into the sky with Sylph’s guidance.

Then, someone floated ahead of her, waving widely.

It was Lou.

Feelings surged deep within Fran, and she waved back, calling out his name loudly.